The BNB Chain developer team released a statement saying that the goal of BAP (BNB Application Proposals) is to make the application layer more consistent, more interoperable, and lower the development threshold. By sharing standards, the ecosystem can achieve faster development speeds, simpler integration methods, a better developer experience, and reduce one-off implementations. The official introduction states that BAP covers extensions to existing token standards, identity and wallet specifications, off-chain data conventions, dApp/proxy/protocol interfaces, and BNB Chain smart contract best practices. BAP will follow the process defined by BEP-1, including idea discussion, draft submission, community and editorial review, and will ultimately be adopted as an official standard.

On the Base chain, a native ecosystem of AI agents called OpenClaw is rapidly taking shape.

JPMorgan Chase stated in a report that Bitcoin mining companies performed strongly in early 2026, driven by reduced network competition and renewed enthusiasm for high-performance computing (HPC). The bank noted that the combined market capitalization of the 14 U.S.-listed Bitcoin mining companies and data center operators it tracks reached $60 billion at the end of last month, a 23% increase month-over-month, far exceeding the S&P 500's 1% gain. This surge was partly attributed to news of Riot Platforms signing an HPC agreement with AMD, highlighting mining companies' efforts to diversify beyond Bitcoin. Facing record low profit margins following the 2024 halving, Bitcoin mining companies are repositioning themselves as digital infrastructure providers, transforming power-intensive mining sites into AI-enabled data centers in search of more stable, long-term revenue. The report pointed out that winter storms across the U.S. in January caused an average network hashrate decline of 6% month-over-month to 981 EH/s, while mining difficulty decreased by 5% compared to December. Reduced competition helped offset the weakness in Bitcoin prices. Analysts estimate that miners' daily block reward revenue in January was approximately $42,350 per EH/s, a slight increase from December, while gross profit rose 24% to approximately $21,200 per EH/s. Of the 14 mining companies tracked by JPMorgan, 12 outperformed Bitcoin's 4% drop in January, with IREN rising 42% and Cango falling 18%. The group's overall valuation remains approximately 15% lower than its October 2025 high. (CoinDesk)

A trader has made notable gains from short positions in Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH). According to PANews, the trader invested in these positions 17 hours ago, purchasing BTC at $75,500 and ETH at $2,230. Currently, the unrealized profits from these short positions amount to approximately $31.5 million.

The United Kingdom's House of Lords recently engaged in a critical discussion regarding stablecoins, with experts suggesting that these tokens primarily serve as "on- and off-ramps into crypto" rather than representing the future of money. According to Cointelegraph, the House of Lords conducted a public session as part of its inquiry into the regulation of stablecoins, focusing on their role in payments, banking, and financial stability. The Financial Services Regulation Committee (FSRC) questioned witnesses about stablecoins' competition with banks, their cross-border applications, risks associated with illicit finance, and their treatment under the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act. The session featured contrasting perspectives from Financial Times economics commentator Chris Giles and U.S. law professor Arthur E. Wilmarth Jr. Giles expressed skepticism about the adoption of stablecoins in the UK, citing the lack of "clear legal underpinning and clear regulation," which makes it risky for households to hold them as money. He suggested that with a robust regulatory framework, stablecoins could enhance transaction efficiency, reduce costs, and potentially expedite cross-border and large corporate transfers. However, domestically, he doubted that sterling stablecoins could significantly disrupt banks, given the existing instant, low-cost payment systems. Giles characterized stablecoins as primarily serving as "on- and off-ramps" to crypto, describing them as "not massively interesting or going to take over the world." Giles also addressed the issue of interest, noting that whether stablecoins should offer yields is central to their purpose and the structure of the UK's financial system. He argued that if stablecoins function solely as a payment technology, there is no need to pay interest, as interest-bearing current accounts have not dominated the financial system. He welcomed the Bank of England's approach to regulating stablecoins "like money," with strict backing rules and liquidity backstops, while cautioning that stablecoins could be attractive for illicit use. He emphasized the need for international oversight of exchanges and stronger Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) checks. Wilmarth, on the other hand, criticized the GENIUS Act, describing it as a "disastrous mistake" for allowing non-banks to issue dollar-denominated stablecoins. He argued that tokenized deposits could better serve the financial system and described stablecoins as a form of "regulatory arbitrage" that allows lightly regulated firms to enter "the money business," undermining the prudential framework established over centuries within the banking system. Wilmarth expressed strong disagreement with the bill, noting that the U.S. had made "many unfortunate choices," but acknowledged that the Bank of England was proposing a more robust regulatory regime.

Crypto KOL Ted posted on X that Peter Schiff has expressed skepticism about China's interest in Bitcoin, suggesting that the country is more focused on acquiring gold. Schiff, a well-known critic of Bitcoin, believes that China is strategically investing in gold rather than digital currencies. This perspective aligns with his long-standing view that gold is a more stable and reliable investment compared to cryptocurrencies. Schiff's comments have sparked discussions among crypto enthusiasts and investors about the future of digital currencies in global markets.

According to market sources, fintech company Fold announced plans to build a unified application experience that integrates Bitcoin rewards and everyday spending into a single financial platform.

Bitcoin mining stocks experienced a surge in January despite stable bitcoin prices, according to JPMorgan. The increase was attributed to temporary declines in the bitcoin network hashrate caused by storms and growing optimism surrounding artificial intelligence (AI). According to NS3.AI, this situation enhances the short-term prospects for bitcoin mining companies.

Binance saw the largest Bitcoin inflows since the beginning of the year on Monday and Tuesday, around 56,000 and 59,000, respectively. source: https://www.cryptopolitan.com/bitcoin-inflows-to-binance-fuel-fears/

At a House of Lords hearing, witnesses cast doubt on stablecoins as mainstream money, backing strict Bank of England oversight and criticizing the "disastrous" US GENIUS Act for letting non‑banks into “the money business. ” source: https://cointelegraph.com/news/house-of-lords-receives-warnings-stablecoin-inquiry?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss_partner_inbound

null source: https://x.com/solidintel_x/status/2019037050260045903

RWAs, and especially stablecoins, are a result of these assumptions finally being challenged. Same assets. Same laws. Same risks.

A controversial venture capital investment made a decade ago is evolving into one of the most profitable bets in Silicon Valley history.

A16Z, AI Agent, A Brief History of Silicon Valley's Deification: Moltbook, Cyber ​​Mirage, Narrative Industrialization. Golden Finance: In this era, capital is responsible for creating deities, while the public pays the price.

After three years of preparation, Hong Kong's Stablecoin Ordinance has officially come into effect, causing USDT, the world's largest stablecoin, to "evaporate" from the Hong Kong market overnight.

Silicon Valley has changed again! Overnight, tens of thousands of people sold themselves into AI, working for "Skynet".

The cost of a "channel" is never money, but time, credit, relationships, and dignity.

italik appears to have abandoned its previously advocated "Rollup-centric" scaling model.

In the short term, the price of Bitcoin is highly likely to rebound to above $80,000, as the recent sell-off has created one of the largest price gaps in the history of Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) futures.

Binance has converted part of its $1 billion SAFU reserve from stablecoins into Bitcoin, buying an additional 1,315 BTC and bringing the fund’s total to 2,630 BTC. The move comes amid market volatility and insolvency rumours, but Binance says the transfers will not affect Bitcoin’s price.